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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among the political leanings of a state, the state-level implicit and explicit biases against transgender people, and the presence of transgender athlete bans. The authors collected archival data from 2021 and 2022 bans in the United States to examine the hypotheses. As of 2022, 18 states had passed laws barring transgender athletes from participating in sports. Results from regression analyses showed that conservative-leaning states were more likely to enact transgender athlete bans than their peers. The relationship was mediated by explicit (but not implicit) bias toward transgender people. The findings have implications for research and practice. Sport managers have an opportunity to create transgender-inclusive workplaces for staff, coaches, and other managers. They should also work with campus counselors and other staff to ensure that transgender athletes have ample support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or similarly identified (LGBTQ+) people experience substantial mental health disparities compared to heterosexuals. The Lets Connect intervention was designed to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQ+ people. This impact evaluation aimed to assess effectiveness of this intervention during its pilot phase, using a single arm pilot trial. Respondents completed baseline surveys at intervention start, a post survey on the last day of the intervention (at 6 weeks), then a follow-up survey 6 weeks after the intervention ended (at 12 weeks). Pre-post differences in outcomes were analyzed using paired t-tests, chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations to evaluate impact on mental health outcomes at 6 and 12 weeks, and identify characteristics associated with loss to follow-up. The average value of all three outcome measures decreased substantially between the baseline and post surveys; all of these differences were highly statistically significant, and further decreased between the end of the intervention at 6 weeks and the 12 week follow-up survey. Lets Connect participants did experience substantial improvements in mental health outcomes, on average, between the start and end of this intervention. Further study of this intervention using a randomized design and control group is warranted.

Purpose: We assessed whether anticipated stigma (i.e., fear of public mistreatment due to gender identity) impacts communication between transgender women (TGW) living with HIV and health care providers. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of baseline data from Trans Amigas, a study conducted in Brazil, 2018. The study population consisted of TGW living with HIV, older than 18 years, residing in the São Paulo metropolitan area. We used multivariable logistic regression (α = 0.05), mediation, and bootstrapping for the analysis. Results: One hundred and thirteen participants completed the study. Fear of public mistreatment had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 7.42 (p = 0.003) for difficulty reporting new symptoms to providers. Concerning fear of public mistreatment, we found that unemployment had an aOR of 3.62 (p = 0.036); sex work, an aOR of 2.95 (p = 0.041); and issues related to name change in documents, an aOR of 2.71 (p = 0.033). For the indirect effect on difficulty reporting new symptoms, mediated by fear of public mistreatment, unemployment had an aOR of 1.52 (confidence interval [CI] = 0.88-2.24); sex work, an aOR of 1.48 (CI = 0.81-2.52); and name change issues, an aOR of 1.47 (CI = 0.96-2.43). Conclusions: Anticipated stigma was associated with communication difficulties between TGW living with HIV and providers. Our data suggest that structural factors associated with anticipated stigma could indirectly impact on difficulty reporting new symptoms. These findings indicate the importance of considering social contexts that intersect with individual experiences when analyzing communication barriers between providers and patients, and the need to strengthen social policies for TGW in Brazil. Clinical Trial Registration number: R34MH112177.

This study examines how the gender expression of transgender individuals evolves as they transition in the context of work. We draw from interviews with 25 transgender employees conducted at four points in time over a two-year period as they initiated, performed, and continued their gender transition. Contributing to the literature on authenticity and identity transitions, our findings challenge the assumptions that individuals know how to express an authentic self and that authenticity has an endpoint by pointing to the evolving and relational nature of authenticity that involves a trial-and-error approach in which transgender individuals learn to become authentic as they engage in various forms of gender performativity. Further, we position authenticity as a continuum, as individuals may temper their gender expression to elicit acceptance and express a gender that feels "authentic enough" as they contend with the impact of prevailing gender norms and expectations in the workplace. Finally, the findings suggest that the identity transition process evolves in a nonlinear way and involves a dynamic interplay between the desire to express one's gender in a way that feels authentic and the desire to feel accepted by others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how health-related brands can benefit from the inclusion of larger-bodied women in advertising. Given that larger-bodied women are more representative of the average American consumer than the thin-bodied women typically featured in advertisements, these results have important implications for marketers. Across eight studies, our results show that framing the body as a process rather than as an object in health-related product advertisements that include images of larger-bodied women increases women consumers' purchase intentions for the advertised product. This effect occurs because women consumers' perceptions of their own humanness increase after exposure to body as a process versus body as an object messaging. Furthermore, we identify a key boundary condition of this finding at the intersection of gender identity and sexual orientation. Specifically, we find that our results hold among women and gay men, but not among straight men. Our findings support calls for the inclusion of larger-bodied women in health-related advertising, provide practitioners with clear guidelines on how to portray larger-bodied women in health-related advertising, and underscore the importance of featuring diverse individuals who have historically been excluded from advertising in a way that does not negatively impact consumers' health and welfare or product purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purposeThe American Society of Clinical Oncology has called for an increased priority to improve cancer care for sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations because of heightened risk of receiving disparate treatment and having suboptimal experiences, including perceived discrimination. We demonstrate how integrating trauma-informed care (TIC) principles across the cancer continuum is a key strategy to improving care delivery and outcomes among SGM populations.MethodThis empirically informed perspective expands on the concepts generated through the American Society of Clinical Oncology position statement and uses the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association's "Four Rs" Toward Trauma Informed Care: Realize, Recognize, Response, and Resist Traumatization.ResultsRecommendations for each component of TIC include: (1) Realize: Implement SGM cultural humility training, including modules on SGM-specific trauma, discrimination, harassment, and violence; (2) Recognize: Routinely screen for emotional distress using methods to ensure privacy, and/or normalize mental health screenings to cancer patients; (3) Respond: Create and widely disseminate policies and patients' rights that prohibit discrimination and ensure access to gender-neutral clinical environments; and (4) Resist Traumatization: Establish and respond to quality metrics (e.g., standardized patients, patient satisfaction surveys) that are informed by a community advisory board with the purpose of ensuring and maintaining quality care.Conclusions and implicationsIntegrating TIC principles into cancer care for SGM populations is crucial to address disparities in treatment and clinical outcomes. Our recommendations offer practical approaches for oncology teams to implement TIC care and ensure equitable and inclusive cancer care for patients and their families.

ObjectiveTransgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience higher levels of stigma, discrimination, and interpersonal violence due to their gender identity and/or expression, particularly TGD people with a migration background. This study aimed to conduct and evaluate group psychotherapy for TGD migrants to provide opportunities for exploring and developing interpersonal skills and relationships.MethodThe group therapy included five individuals who identified as TGD and originated from the Middle East. The TGD group therapy consisted of 12 weekly sessions of 90 minutes each and was facilitated by a psychiatrist. All sessions were conducted online and in Turkish. The sessions were guided by the group process and discussions.ResultsAfter completing 12 group therapy sessions, members of the group reported benefiting from observing and emulating others who shared their problem constellation. Through the interpersonal skills that they built up throughout the sessions, they became more open to share their feelings experiencing fewer social barriers, and reduced anxiety.ConclusionThis observational study indicates the significance of offering group-based psychotherapy to enhance affirmation and social connection within gender minority groups and emphasizes the need to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of group psychotherapy with TGD individuals, with special attention to the unique needs of TGD migrants.

In May 2021, USA Today published an essay by Chelsea Mitchell, a former high school track and field athlete from Connecticut, one of four named plaintiffs in Soule v. Connecticut [...]

Research on women in leadership positions has largely focused on the board or top management team (TMT) leadership level, showing that increased female representation at these levels can benefit organizational performance. However, the strategic implications of female representation at middle management have been largely neglected. The current study addresses this issue in relation to High Performance Work System (HPWS) improvement and organizational performance (profitability). By analyzing the multi‐wave (2009, 2011, and 2013) Workplace Panel Survey (WPS) data collected from 1101 organizations in South Korea, we found a gender diversity advantage at middle management; that is, a higher level of gender diversity of middle management translated into a higher level of organizational performance due to HPWS improvement. However, this advantage appeared only in the presence of a high level of subordinates' gender diversity. Our findings have important implications for gender diversity and strategic human resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex-related differences in changes in functional fitness over time were longitudinally assessed in older adults participating in a group-based multimodal exercise program. From a database, functional fitness scores were obtained for 89 older adults (71.6 ± 6.5 years old) who had completed two assessments, 5–8 years apart. Lower body strength, upper body strength, aerobic endurance, flexibility, and change of direction performances were compared over time and with normative values. Females (p =.02), but not males, had an improvement in upper body strength over time. Females were also more flexible than males at both assessments (p ≤.02). Of those who had five consecutive assessments, females were more flexible than males (p ≤.05) and had a faster change of direction ability (p <.001). When compared with normative values, our results indicate that typical time-related functional fitness loss can be attenuated with group exercise. Our results further support the need to tailor exercise prescription according to the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a systematic review of the nostalgia literature (205 articles) using PRISMA protocols. It dwells on three questions: What do we know about nostalgia? What do we need to know about nostalgia? and Where should we be heading? The article examines the evolution of nostalgia, analyzes the definitions of nostalgia (past–memory–yearning–ambivalent emotion), and extends the nostalgia typology of Havlena and Holak (1996). The article also delineates the nostalgic advertising literature; identifies antecedents, moderators, and consequences of nostalgic advertising; and highlights research gaps. Finally, this work offers propositions on nostalgic ad appeals (those that emphasize the attractiveness of and yearning for the past in a bittersweet way) based on four themes: self-restoration, continuity, social relationships, and culture. Specifically, the propositions offer new moderators, such as ads' emotional flow, gender identity, purchase and consumption situation, perceived interactivity, and culture type, that could make some types of nostalgic appeals more effective than others. Our work contributes by being more comprehensive and broad based, extending the typology framework and delineating propositions that lay out a research roadmap for nostalgic advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The level of experienced sociocultural pressure to have an idealized body can vary depending on a person's gender identity and sexual orientation. The current study explored whether differences in levels of body appreciation among people with different sexual orientations and gender identities vary because of differing levels of experienced pressure by in-group members and varying levels of experienced hostile behaviors because of their looks or body. Thereby, the study tests the social cure model, according to which high levels of identity centrality are associated with better mental health. Methods: An online cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted with 1,587 people (51.3% cisgender women, 39.3% cisgender men, 9.5% non-binary; 52.9% identified as heterosexual, 27.7% identified as bisexual/pansexual, 11.2% identified as gay/lesbian, 8.2% identified as asexual/demi/queer; Mage = 32.9, SD = 12.6) from German-speaking countries. Variables were assessed with German-language versions of the Multidimensional and Multicomponent Measure of Social Identification, Body Appreciation Scale-2, the Perceived Stigmatization Questionnaire, and the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4, revised. A manifest-path model was calculated. Results: Non-binary persons reported lower levels of body appreciation than did cisgender men and sexual minority persons reported lower levels of body appreciation than did heterosexual persons. Furthermore, sexual minority persons experienced more hostile behaviors directed towards them because of their looks or body than did heterosexual persons. Similarly, non-binary persons experienced more hostile behaviors than did men. Non-binary persons were subjected to lower levels of in-group pressure than were men. Gay/lesbian persons and asexual persons were subjected to lower levels of in-group pressure than were heterosexual persons. More hostile behaviors and stronger in-group pressure were related to lower body appreciation. In cisgender women and men indirect links revealed associations between strong identity centrality and low levels of body appreciation through the mediator of high in-group pressure. Conclusions: Data in sexual minority individuals or non-binary persons supported the social cure model, according to which persons can find support and validation for their looks and body from in-group members. In cisgender women and men, strong identification as a woman or man can be related to stronger in-group pressure and in turn to lower body appreciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research examines the potential gender identity discrimination within higher education in the U.S. An audit study was conducted by sending emails to admission counselors, where the messages varied in the inclusion of gender pronouns in the signature line. The results indicate a higher response rate for emails which included preferred pronouns, with a response rate increase of approximately four percentage points, regardless of the type of pronoun used. We engage in text analysis and show that responses to inquiries with pronouns received more friendly responses receiving heightened use of exclamation marks, emojis/emoticons, and from a topic modeling algorithm were less likely to be strictly replies explaining the admission process. Finally, we apply machine learning to identify key institution attributes that are useful in predicting heterogeneous responses, and to identify the attributes of institutions where negative discrimination is likely to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]